She was a servant girl who grew up in the Yin family. There were some things that Qin Sheng and the others didn't know, but Caiyue did.
The great-aunt that Caiyue mentioned is Yin Wenxiao's older sister, Yin Wenxuan.
"Didn't the cat take it with her after your great-aunt got married?" Qin Sheng asked.
Caiyue shook her head. "It seems that the in-laws are afraid of this green-eyed creature, thinking it's unlucky, so the eldest aunt kept the cat in the mansion. She even sent a maid to take care of the cat before."
"Later, for some reason, the cat ran away and never came back. After a while, several kittens appeared in the woods in the backyard of the mansion. At first, the old lady had people continue to take care of them, but the cats were having kittens so fast that for a while, you could see cats almost everywhere in the mansion. They not only stole food but also tore clothes, and the fierce ones would even scratch people."
"There was nothing the old lady could do but have them all caught and killed. A few that managed to escape never appeared again."
"..."
Qiao'er muttered, "But why did this cat suddenly reappear in the mansion and even go to Aunt Ye's place?"
Qin Sheng eventually went to Mingyue Pavilion.
Even though it was late at night, Mingyue Pavilion was brightly lit.
Ye Jiaoniang's baby was indeed gone; she fell to the ground and was already drenched in cold sweat from the pain.
The courtyard was filled with kneeling people.
Madam Yin was furious and wished she could beat these servants to death, but she was so angry that she couldn't utter a single word.
"Tell me, where did that cat come from?" Granny Shi asked Jingxin, who served Aunt Ye, sternly.
"This servant doesn't know..." Jingxin knelt on the ground, her face covered in tears and snot.
My aunt only said that she had eaten too much and wanted to sit in the yard to digest for a while, but who knew that the cat would pounce down from the roof.
Qin Sheng's gaze fell on the stone table in the courtyard, and she suddenly paused.
When Ye Jiaoniang fell and had an accident, everyone was in a panic, and the things on the stone table had not yet been cleaned up.
A teapot, a teacup, a stack of osmanthus cakes, and a stack of peanut brittle.
Qin Sheng asked Jingxin, "Aunt Ye has been experiencing severe morning sickness lately. Is there anything she likes to eat every day?"
"..."
Jingxin was so frightened that she knelt on the ground, trembling uncontrollably, and for a moment forgot to answer the lady's question.
Granny Shi shouted, "Are you deaf? Didn't you hear Madam asking you?"
Jingxin shuddered before replying, "Osmanthus cake! Aunt Ye has been eating extra-sweetened osmanthus cake every day lately!"
Ye Jiaoniang has been suffering from severe morning sickness lately and can't eat much of anything else, but she eats osmanthus cake with extra sugar every day.
Qin Sheng walked over, picked up a piece of osmanthus cake from the stone table, broke it open, and took a small bite. It was indeed sweeter than ordinary osmanthus cake.
She looked up at the roof again, and a rough idea was already in her mind.
The noise inside the house gradually subsided.
Aunt Ye suffered a miscarriage and lost a lot of blood. Although she is not in mortal danger, she is still unconscious.
After a whole night of turmoil, her grandson was gone. Old Madam Yin had a headache and chest pain, so Granny Shi quickly helped her back to Songliu Courtyard.
Qin Sheng didn't go inside. She stood in the courtyard for a while, helped arrange some things, and then left.
We left Mingyue Pavilion.
Qin Sheng asked Emerald, "Didn't I tell you to have someone keep an eye on Okra? Has that girl made any moves lately?"
Jade shook her head. "The person who was watching her hasn't come back yet. I'll go and ask her first thing tomorrow morning."
Qin Sheng nodded, took two steps, and then turned around to look at the brightly lit Mingyue Pavilion behind him.
...
The next morning, Qin Sheng had only eaten half of her breakfast when Emerald rushed in and whispered, "I asked the person who watches over Okra, and she said that Okra has always been honest and well-behaved. But recently, it seems she fed a cat, and that cat is quite picky. Besides fish, its favorite food is osmanthus cake... Okra is also kind-hearted. She actually took out her meager savings to bribe the old woman in the small kitchen who makes osmanthus cake for Aunt Ye, so that the old woman would make her an extra piece of osmanthus cake every day."
"..."
It was pretty much as Qin Sheng had guessed.
Qin Sheng put down her bowl and spoon, wiped her lips with a handkerchief, and said, "Go and find out again whether this okra has had any contact with Aunt Mei?"
Emerald was taken aback, her heart pounding wildly. She quickly nodded and said, "This servant will go right away."
Before Emerald could return, someone from Songliu Courtyard arrived first, saying that the old lady had something to ask the madam to come over.
Perhaps it was due to Ye Jiaoniang's miscarriage that Old Madam Yin looked somewhat haggard.
Madam Yin didn't beat around the bush and said directly, "Your eldest sister-in-law and her family will be back soon. She went to work in another place with your brother-in-law for three years. Now that she's back, your brother-in-law should be able to stay in the capital. There's just something she needs your help as her sister-in-law."
Qin Sheng: "Please go ahead."
Madam Yin said, "It's like this. Your eldest sister's son, Zijin, is eleven years old this year. This time when he returned to the capital, according to your sister and brother-in-law, they wanted him to become a disciple of your uncle, Grand Secretary Nian."
"..."
Qin Sheng's maternal uncle, a Grand Secretary, had served as the Regent's tutor in his early years. Later, he fell ill, and his condition recurred. He was treated for many years and his life was saved, but he was no longer fit to serve in the court. He has been retired at home for more than ten years now.
Nian Qing's learning goes without saying; he was the one who taught the Regent!
Therefore, since he retired and stayed at home, the number of people who wanted to visit him, ask for his teachings, or become his disciples was not as numerous as the fish crossing the river, but there were at least eight hundred or a thousand.
“Mother, as you know, my eldest uncle doesn’t easily accept students,” Qin Sheng said.
“Of course I know.” Madam Yin said, “But those are just other people. Your sister-in-law is family. Besides, Zijin’s studies were personally taught by your brother-in-law, so she is definitely not bad.”
Qin Sheng: "Daughter-in-law, you should write a letter to your eldest uncle about this matter."
Madam Yin nodded. "Alright, in your letter, remember to say a few good words about Zijin." She paused, then added, "After all, we're all family."
Qin Sheng sneered inwardly, but outwardly remained respectful: "Daughter-in-law knows."
...
Upon returning to Zhefang Courtyard, Emerald had already come back. Seeing Qin Sheng, she quickly rushed over to greet her: "Madam!"
Qin Sheng asked, "Have you found out?"
Emerald nodded and whispered something to the lady.
Okra had indeed never met Aunt Mei, but shortly after Aunt Ye became pregnant, she met a maid from Mingyue Pavilion.
The maid had received help from Qiu Kui several times before.
The two only met once, and it was in secrecy. As for what they talked about, that remains unknown.
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